Ryan Braun has been scratched from Friday’s lineup against the Diamondbacks due to neck spasms. Khris Davis will take his place in the Brewers’ starting lineup. The injury does not sound like it’s the type of thing that would require an extended absence from the lineup, but it’s certainly something to monitor over the weekend. (Rotoworld)

Travis Snider went hitless Friday in his first start of the season. Snider was expected to be the Pirates’ primary right fielder against right-handers, but the team went with Garrett Jones in right field and Gaby Sanchez at first base in their first couple of games against righties. Whether that alignment sticks is up to Snider. The Pirates are waiting to see some power from the 25-year-old, but it’s been rather absent since the start of the spring. Manager Clint Hurdle said Snider could occasionally start in left field against right-handed pitching when the team sits Starling Marte, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Hurdle said Snider would start in left while Garrett Jones would get the nod in right. (Rotoworld)

Ted Lilly (shoulder) was knocked around a bit in his rehab start for High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Friday, allowing five runs (three home runs) in six innings. It wasn’t all bad, as Lilly struck out four in the outing and didn’t have any issues with his injured shoulder. There’s still no clear path for him to immediately join the Dodgers’ rotation even when he is deemed ready, so there’s a chance he may have to work out of the bullpen initially if he isn’t traded. (Rotoworld)

Zack Cozart homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs in a 15-0 win over the Nationals on Friday night. It was the most lopsided loss in Nationals’ history. Cozart had a solo shot in the bottom of the third second inning and a three-run blast in the third. He later hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth. The 27-year-old showed plenty of pop last season and he should get more RBI opportunities now that he won’t be counted on as the leadoff man. While he’s unlikely to hit for a high batting average, he’s worth owning in deeper mixed leagues. (Rotoworld)

Dan Haren was smoked for six runs on four home runs over four innings in a loss to the Reds on Friday night. Haren’s spring training struggles have now crossed over to the regular season. While the veteran right-hander has always given up his fair share of fly balls — a poor fit in Great American Ball Park — he appeared way too hittable in this one. It’s going to be tough to trust him in standard mixed leagues until he proves that he’s healthy. (Rotoworld)

Todd Frazier went 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in the Reds’ blowout win over the Nationals on Friday. Frazier smacked a solo homer in the second inning, a two-run homer in a seven-run seventh (which also included a grand slam from Xavier Paul) and an RBI single in the eighth. He also stole a base and scored three runs. Frazier launched 19 home runs in 128 games as a rookie last season and has the potential to emerge as a top-12 option at third base in fantasy leagues this year. (Rotoworld)

Mike Minor looked sharp in his season debut Friday, racking up seven strikeouts in a victory over the Cubs. Minor allowed just one run on five hits over his 7 1/3 innings. He also displayed pinpoint command throughout the evening and didn’t issue a walk. Save for one mistake pitch to Scott Hairston in the fifth inning, Minor looked incredibly sharp during his season debut. He had pinpoint command and got himself ahead in the count most of the time, leaving in the eighth having thrown just 84 pitches (60 for strikes).The supremely talented 25-year-old is off to a great start in his attempt to improve upon an impressive rookie campaign. He’ll look to keep rolling when he takes on the Marlins in Miami on Wednesday. (Rotoworld)

Russell Martin is hitless with two walks in his first 12 at-bats of the season. He’s batted second, fifth and seventh in the lineup through four games. Martin is averaging 3.71 pitches per plate appearance, but he averaged 4.00 pitches in 2012, when he hit .211. The Pirates have scored six runs in the season’s first four contests. (Rotowire)

Juan Pierre is starting in left field and leading off for the fifth straight game Saturday, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. As expected, Pierre has seen a heavy workload for the Marlins after handling more of a fourth outfielder role with the Phillies last season. through four games, he’s 3-for-17 with a run scored while getting caught on his only stolen-base attempt thus far. (Rotowire)

Chris Denorfia is back atop the Padres’ lineup Friday against the Rockies, MLB.com reports. With the Padres facing lefty Jeff Francis, Will Venable will take a seat in favor of Denorfia. It’s Denorfia’s first start since the Padres faced Mets lefty Jonathon Niese on opening day. Denorfia hit .337/.390/.500 against left-handed pitching last season. (CBS Sports)

Cubs manager Dale Sveum says he’s sticking with Carlos Marmol as closer over Kyuji Fujikawa despite a shaky first series, the Chicago Tribune reports. Marmol barely held on for the save in Thursday’s 3-2 win over Pittsburgh, as he gave up two runs and left the tying run on third base. Marmol didn’t complete Tuesday’s save, as Fujikawa was called upon for the final out of the ninth inning to earn his first save of his career and the first of the season. Still, the job is Marmol’s for now. When asked how long he could stick with the wild Marmol, Sveum said, “I went with it three months last year and he got out of all. It wasn’t like he was pitch efficient last year when he was getting out of all of them.” Outside of a short stretch in early June after he returned from an injury, Marmol held the closer’s role as long when he was healthy in 2012. As the Cubs may be angling to trade Marmol — as they nearly did for Dan Haren this offseason before medicals derailed the deal — they could leave him in the closer’s role as long as possible in an attempt to prop up his trade value. Fujikawa is likely the next in line for the Cubs, but ascension to the closer’s role may not be as imminent as Marmol’s struggles in the first series of the season made it seem. (CBS Sports)